The first round of the 2014 NHL playoffs have started off with a bang, and hockey fans are excited to watch how the remainder of the opening matchups play out.

There were gripes with how the new playoff system would be handled, but several marquee first-round battles, including Detroit against Boston, Los Angeles against San Jose and Philadelphia against New York, have been as exciting as the league could have imagined.

Here are the predictions for each first-round matchup and a preview of the series true hockey fans can’t afford to miss. For an updated Stanley Cup playoff bracket, check out NHLPlayoffsBracket.com.

First-Round Matchups and Predictions

Eastern Conference

First-Round Matchup

Predicted Winner

Boston Bruins vs. Detroit Red Wings

Boston

Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Montreal

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

Pittsburgh

New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Philadelphia

Western Conference

First-Round Matchup

Predicted Winner

Anaheim Ducks vs. Dallas Stars

Anaheim

San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings

San Jose

Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild

Colorado

St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks

St. Louis

Source: NHL.com

The Bracket

Must-Watch Series: New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers

One of the most interesting portions of the changes to the NHL postseason is the focus on divisional rivalries. None of the first-round matchups compare to the intensity and animosity that the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers have for each other.

New York took the first game of this series in Madison Square Garden by a score of 4-1. The Rangers scored three unanswered goals in the third period and looked to break the will of the road team.

Philadelphia bounced back with a convincing 4-2 victory on Sunday to even the series, bringing the nettle back to the Wells Fargo Center and the raucous Flyers fans. Instead of capitalizing on the momentum, the Flyers lost the first game at home, 4-1.

Now that the first three games of this Metropolitan Division showdown are complete, the only certainty is that this will be a long series full of physicality and offensive prowess. While both teams had strong goaltending coming into this series, it has turned into an unpredictable first-round matchup.

Philadelphia plays a physical style that can get under the skin of the New York players, and that will cause tension to rise with each passing game. The Flyers have the offensive edge in this series, but the Rangers have plenty of firepower as well.

Regardless of which team wins, this is the best first-round series of the 2014 playoffs.